> Atheist Survey
>
> Thank you for participating. The issues of God[sic] and
> religion in a secular world are very important. This
> survey is part of a broader work that seeks to
> determine why God and religion continues to exist and
> flourish despite Humanityís intellectual achievements
> in the modern era of science. It might seem that the
> answer to that question lies with the people who
> believe in God[sic] but I feel otherwise for reasons
> that will become clear later.
Your "survey" is crossly flawed because your questions
are poorly selected, grossly stated, and demonstrate a
=VAST= IGNORANCE on the subject.
> Just to be clear, I myself am an atheist.
Who cares?
> I will not at this time reveal the theories of my
> paper, because I donít want to influence any of the
> answers, but you will receive an e-mailed copy of my
> complete work for your participation. I think you
> will find it very interesting.
Not in the least. Indeed, I doubt it.
> And now some questions. Simply quote this form in
> your reply and fill in the answers. Please take as
> much time and space as you need to answer these
> sufficiently. Iím sure youíve thought about all of
> these things often.
>
>
> General:
>
> This is personal stuff and I hope you donít mind
> answering it. It is important to have an accurate
> profile of each participant. A name, of course, in
> not necessary, but if you want to supply one, real or
> fictitious, it will save me the trouble of making one
> up if I quote any of your answers. (please specify if
> you mind me quoting you; I wonít if you do)
>
> NAME: (optional)
David Michael Rice, Esq.
> DOB
August 19, 1960CE
> Place of birth
Arcadia, California, USA, Earth, Sol System,
Milky-way Galaxy
> Sex
Never
> Race (as you define it)
Homo sapiens sapiens
> Occupation
Fundy Handler
> Where you have lived your adult life
Southern California, USA, with lesbians
> Married?
Never
> Children?
None that I know of
> THE QUESTIONS:
>
> There are 33 questions. I would love a long
> thoughtful answer to each one, but I appreciate that
> you may have a life to lead. So make the answer as
> short or long as you need, but please try and answer
> each question.
>
> 1. What if any, was the religion practiced in your
> home?
I assume you mean "in your home" when I was a
child. The answer is "Christianity." Did you
want narrower specificity? Roman Catholic and
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
> 2. How deeply involved was your family in this
> religion? Any particular family members more than
> others? (in other words, did you have an uncle or a
> mother that was a bible quoting fundamentalist?)
Besides one parent and a sister, no one else
was "involved" in these cults, though everyone
was forced to attend meetings.
> 3. What was your response at the time to the role
> religion played in your family?
A big =YAWN!= and total disinterest.
> 4. Were you always an atheist or did you at some time
> stop believing in God[sic]?
I was born atheist like every other human being
on the planet, and I stayed that way.
> 5. Has your atheism been a source of trouble in your
> family?
How the fuck would I know?
> 6. Why do you think you are an atheist?
Because I'm not a theist.
> 7. Do you feel ashamed at all about being an atheist?
Do you believe someone should feel "ashamed"
about having brown eyes?
> If so, how does it affect your conviction that there
> is no God[sic]?
Who the fuck said atheists think there are no
gods? Damn few atheists I know, and I discourse
with dozens, have a "conviction that there are
no gods."
And why are you writing only "god," instead of
"gods?" Atheists lack belief in ALL OF THEM.
> 8. Are you a "closet" atheist?
No.
> Do people in your life generally know your atheism?
Yes.
> 9. Do you debate and argue the issue with strangers,
> notably religious people?
Only when they insist that I pay for their
occult beliefs with tax money.
> 10. Where do you think your values of good and bad
> came from?
What a stupid question! My values of what
constitutes "good" and "bad" comes from WHAT =IS=
"GOOD" AND "BAD!" Occult beliefs have nothing
to do with what is "good" and "bad."
> 11. I find myself often filled with wonder and awe at
> the sight of a star filled sky or a breathtaking
> nature scene. It almost feels "religious."
Who gives a shit?
> Do you have these feelings?
Yes.
> If so, at such moments are you ever tempted to
> question your atheism?
That is another stupid question. What has
aesthetics to do with the lack of belief in the
gods [note spelling]?
> 12. Would you rather that there was a God[sic]?
Who said there aren't any gods? Most atheists I
know do not make that claim.
But yes, if there are not any gods, I wish
there were. I also wish that they would be
interested in human events. Sadly, that appears
to not be the case.
> 13. Are the people in your circle generally atheists?
No, they are generally lesbians.
> 14. Is your atheism strong enough that you would bet
> anything on the non existence of God[sic]?
Who said I think gods do not exist? Not I. Why
would I "bet anything" on the lack of a belief?
> 15. Would you like to see the whole world rid of
> religion, with no one believing in God[sic]?
Yes. Just as I would love to see the world rid
of all disease, violence, suffering, tobacco,
and alcohol.
> 16. Do you think that will ever happen?
No. The foolish and the ignorant will always
exist.
> 17. What do you think such a world would be like?
A peaceful, loving, kind, compasionate, humane,
and beautify place.
> 18. Do you have beliefs in any other being or system,
> ie, reincarnation, spirituality, and other
> metaphysical beliefs?
What do you mean by "any other being or system?"
Do you not even know what atheism is?! It is the
=LACK= OF BELIEF IN THE GODS! Your "question"
makes no sense at all.
> 19. If so, what do you feel makes this belief more
> probable that the existence of God[sic]?
N/A
> 20. Do you have children?
None that I know of.
> If so, what is your attitude towards them and the
> religious world they are growing up in? Do you talk
> to them about God[sic]?
N/A
> 21. If you are married, is your spouse an atheist?
> And if so, do you hold the same views, or do you have
> a disagreement on the secular nature of the world?
N/A
> 22. If your spouse is not an atheist, is that a
> problem?
N/A
> 23. If you are single, is it important to you that
> your future spouse not be religious? If he/she was,
> what would your feeling be about how to raise the
> children?
I would no sooner marry a woman who believed in
the gods than I would marry a woman who believed
in Santa Claus, AND FOR THE SAME REASON.
Concering "how to raise the children," what do
you mean?
> 24. Despite your atheism, do you consider yourself to
> be a spiritual person and would you then define
> "spiritual."
No, and no.
> 25. What is your attitude today towards religion and
> religious people?
Respect and tolerance as long as they do not
come for me in an auto de' fe' some night, and
provided they do not force me to pay for their
occult beliefs via tax money.
> 26. Do you find it hard to believe that intelligent
> people truly believe in God[sic]?
No.
> Do you tend to think that someone like President
> Clinton professes a belief in God[sic] because public
> figures canít afford to do otherwise?
Yes.
> 27. Do you know much about science, ie, what science
> has so far taught us about the origins of life, etc?
A great deal, if I may toot my own horn.
> If so, is you atheism based on familiarity with
> science?
No. My atheism is "based upon" my lack of
belief in the gods and the lack of evidence
for their existance. As soon as the gods
put in an appearence I'll cease to be an
atheist.
> 28. Emotions are very powerful. Do you ever have a
> feeling in your heart that you would describe as
> religious, despite your atheism?
Religious feelings such as killing people,
denying my children medical care, bombing rival
churches, lynching homosexuals and denying them
equal protection under the law, forcing girls
and women to produce children, gassing Jews,
and burning hertics at the stake? THOSE religious
feelings?
No.
> If so, describe it.
N/A
> 29. Religion plays a huge part in our society. Do you
> think children of atheists who have to play and grow
> up with religious children should be told there is a
> God[sic], the same way there is a Santa Claus, to
> avoid problems?
Why would parents tell their children there is
a Santa Claus?! That's as insane as telling them
there are gods.
> 30. Despite your atheism, do you sometimes feel that
> there is, if not a God[sic], then something?
"Something?!" Is this a joke? "Something" as in
The Borg? Three-headed mushroom people on Venus?
Twelve-headed Salty Bitches on Pluto? What the
fuck do you mean by "something?
> 31. Society places atheism near child molesting on
> the morality scale. Do you have any ideas about what
> can be done to change that?
"A disturbing fact continues to surface in sex abuse
research. The first best predictor of abuse is
alcohol or drug addiction in the father. But the
second best predictor is CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOSITY,
accompanied by parental belief in traditional
male-female roles. This means that if you want to
know which children are most likely to be sexually
abused by their father, the second most significant
clue is WHETHER OR NOT THE PARENTS BELONG TO A
CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS GROUP WITH TRADITIONAL ROLE
BELIEFS AND RIGID SEXUAL ATTITUDES. (Brown and Bohn,
1989; Finkelhor, 1986; Fortune, 1983; Goldstein et
al, 1973; Van Leeuwen, 1990). (emphasis in original)
> 32. People who believe in God[sic] feel very sorry
> for people who donít, saying they live in a cold
> desolate world. How would you answer that?
With laughter.
> 33. What do you think accounts for manís continuing
> belief in God[sic]?
Ignorance, fear, greed.
> Please add anything you feel should be addressed
> about atheism:
Your questions show a drastic lack of knowledge
about the subject.
> Thank you for your participation in this important
> survey.
"Important?" Don't fool yourself.
> I appreciate your time and sincerity. As well as my
> thanks, I will e-mail a copy of the finished paper,
> which Iím sure you will find provocative.
I'm sure your trash isn't worth reading.
> One favor: I am interested in the views and
> opinions of older atheists, those in their thirties
> and older. If you know even one person in this
> category that would be willing to answer these
> questions it would be very helpful. You can forward
> this questionnaire directly to them or have them
> e-mail me at [email protected]
>
> Thank you very much,
You're welcome.
> G.S. Lazarus